In memoriam: Those who left us in 2012

Penn State coach Joe Paterno (left), Hall of Famer and O.C. native Gary Carter (center) and former San Diego Chargers linebacker Junior Seau (right) were among the sports figures who died in 2012. Click on the photo for a look at those who will be missed.FILE PHOTOS

The sport of boxing was particularly wounded by the obituary column in 2012, losing perhaps its two most influential trainers and its leading international Olympic star. Two of college football's most celebrated coaches also passed on, as well as the man who changed baseball lifestyles forever.

Penn State coach Joe Paterno (left), Hall of Famer and O.C. native Gary Carter (center) and former San Diego Chargers linebacker Junior Seau (right) were among the sports figures who died in 2012. Click on the photo for a look at those who will be missed. FILE PHOTOS
JOE PATERNO died on Jan. 22, at age 85. He was the winningest college football coach in history and won two national championships. He also coached five unbeaten teams at Penn State and won 24 bowl games, but was fired in late 2011 for his neglect in the Jerry Sandusky case. "People ask, why don't you give it up? I didn't want to miss anything." -- Joe Paterno PHOTO BY JON SARGENT, GETTY IMAGES, TEXT BY MARK WHICKER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
JUNIOR SEAU died on May 2, at 43, of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Seau was an 8-time All-Pro linebacker for the Chargers, had 56 and 1/2 sacks for his career, and is in the club's Hall of Fame. He played in two Super Bowls, one with San Diego, one with New England. "They pay me to practice. I play the games for free." -- Junior Seau. PHOTO BY STEPHEN DUNN, ALLSPORT/GETTY IMAGES, TEXT BY MARK WHICKER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
MARVIN MILLER died on Nov. 27, at 95. He led the Major League Baseball Players Association into free agency and unimagined riches, using strikes, refined rhetoric and solidarity among the players. Miller's players went on strike in 1981 to protect their freedom of movement. "With Babe Ruth and Jackie Robinson, Marvin is one of the three most important people in baseball history." - Red Barber. PHOTO BY AP/HOWARD, TEXT BY MARK WHICKER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
GARY CARTER died on Feb. 16, at 57, of a brain tumor. The Hall of Fame catcher from Sunny Hills High helped the Mets win the 1986 World Series. He was an N.L. Rookie of the Year with Montreal and finished sixth or higher in MVP balloting three times. "Everybody calls me Kid. I got it in my first spring training, when I was trying to win every sprint and hit every ball out of the park." -- Gary Carter. PHOTO BY OTTO GREULE JR, GETTY IMAGES, TEXT BY MARK WHICKER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
DARRELL ROYAL died on Nov. 7, at 88. He won two national championships at Texas, 10 Cotton Bowls and 11 SWC titles. He led the Longhorns for 20 years and went 167-47-5, the best record in the nation in that period, and never had a losing season in 25 years of coaching. "You got to dance with the one that brung ya." -- Darrell Royal AP PHOTO, TEXT BY MARK WHICKER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
GENE BARTOW died on Jan. 2, at 81. He took Memphis State to the Final Four in 1973, losing to UCLA in the title game, but is better known for stepping into John Wooden's outsized shoes at Westwood. Bartow lasted only two years as the Bruins coach, losing in the NCAA semifinals in 1976 and leaving after the following season, with Bruins fans outraged over his 52-9 record. He then built Alabama-Birmingham into a national factor. "UCLA wasn't a good job for me at the time. If I'd known that then, I wouldn't have taken it." -- Gene Bartow. PHOTO BY AP, TEXT BY MARK WHICKER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
GIORGIO CHINAGLIA died on April 1, at 65, of heart problems. Chinaglia was in the midst of the pro soccer boom in America in the 70s, starring for the New York Cosmos and winning four NASL championships. The Italian had 19 multiple-goal games in postseason. He also had a tempestuous relationship with teammates Pele and Franz Beckenbauer. "Every time I breathe, I insult someone. If a dog chokes on a bone, they blame Chinaglia." -- Giorgio Chinaglia. PHOTO BY LENNY IGNELZI, AP, TEXT BY MARK WHICKER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
ANGELO DUNDEE died on Feb. 1, at 90. He trained Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Ray Leonard, Willie Pastrano and 11 other world champions out of his Fifth Street Gym in Miami, always with a wink and a smile. Dundee was most famous as Ali's confidant and trainer. "I'm only as good as the guy on the stool." -- Angelo Dundee PHOTO BY MIKE POWELL/ALLSPORT, GETTY IMAGES, TEXT BY MARK WHICKER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
RICK MAJERUS died on Dec. 1, at 64, of heart failure. He coached Utah to the 1998 NCAA championship game and also resurrected programs at Ball State and St. Louis. He was possibly the most respected teacher in his profession, and his appetite for food and basketball talk took him deep into the night. He won 517 games and lost only 215. "Nobody thought I'd be a great coach. I'm the guy you'd expect to see drive an 18-wheeler through town." -- Rick Majerus. PHOTO BY JAMIIE SABAU, GETTY IMAGES, TEXT BY MARK WHICKER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
STEVE VAN BUREN died on Aug. 23, at 91, of pneumonia. When he retired from the NFL in 1952 he was the all-time rusher in the league. He also won three consecutive rushing titles for Philadelphia and scored the only touchdown and rushed for 196 yards in the snowy championship game victory over the Cardinals in 1949. "The fellow who threw the first pass must have been all through as a player, or maybe too tired to run the ball." -- Steve Van Buren. PHOTO BY AP, TEXT BY MARK WHICKER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
MURRAY ROSE died on April 15, at 73, of leukemia. He won three gold medals as a 17 year old at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, added another four years later in Rome, and at one point held the world records for the 400, 800 and 1,500 free. Rose went to USC and was an executive at The Forum before returning to his native Australia in 1994. He was also a vegetarian and a sometime actor. "He was the greatest swimmer who ever lived, even greater than Johnny Weissmuller." - Gus Stager, U. of Michigan coach. PHOTO BY SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, TEXT BY MARK WHICKER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
GENE SELZNICK died on June 10, at age 82, of pneumonia. Considered one of the most talented players in volleyball history, Selznick led the U.S. to two world championships and was a three-time MVP in USA Volleyball. He also was named All-World in 1959, the first American to win that award. Selznick coached two Olympic beach volleyball teams and introduced Wilt Chamberlain to the sport. "He was visionary, creative, dogmatic, stubborn and enormously influential." - Doug Beal, head of USA Volleyball. PHOTO BY AP, TEXT BY MARK WHICKER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
CARROLL SHELBY: died on May 10, at 89. He was a successful sports car driver in the late '50s who won the 24 Hours of LeMans in 1959. He retired and became one of the most influential designers in auto racing history. The Cobra and the Charger were two of his most successful projects. "Let's call the little car the GT350. If it's good, the name won't matter, and if it's no good, the name won't matter." -- Carroll Shelby. PHOTO BY CHRIS HONDROS, GETTY IMAGES, TEXT BY MARK WHICKER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
JACK TWYMAN died on May 30, at 78, of complications from blood cancer. He was a Hall of Famer and six-time All-Star with the Cincinnati Royals and, with Wilt Chamberlain, became the first man to average 30 points, in 1959-60. Twyman later became an NBA analyst for ABC and became the guardian of Maurice Stokes, a promising teammate who was paralyzed after a head injury "Whenever I was having a bad year, Maurice never failed to pump me up." -- Jack Twyman. PHOTO BY AP, TEXT BY MARK WHICKER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
BEN DAVIDSON died on July 2 at age 72, of prostate cancer. He was a feared pass-rushing, 6-foot-8 defensive end for the first of the great Oakland Raiders teams, and became an actor and commercial pitchman. "His attitude was, if you get a shot at the quarterback, take it." -- Len Dawson, former Kansas City quarterback.. PHOTO BY AP, TEXT BY MARK WHICKER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
TEOFILO STEVENSON died on June 11, at 60. He won three Olympic gold medals as a heavyweight and probably would have won a fourth in 1984 had the Cubans not boycotted. He turned down many lucrative offers, including a tour with Muhammad Ali, to remain in Cuba. In his career he won 302 fights and lost 22. "What good is a million dollars compared to the love of eight million Cubans?" -- Teofilo Stevenson. PHOTO BY ALLSPORT/ GETTY IMAGES, TEXT BY MARK WHICKER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
ALEXANDER DALE OEN died on April 30, at 26, of a heart attack while his Norwegian swimming team was training in Flagstaff, Ariz. Oen became Norway's first swimming medalist in 2008, winning the silver in the 100-meter breaststroke. Then he won the gold in the 2011 worlds in Shanghai in the same event. "The ready room can be stressful and tense, but he was like a little kid before a race, just enjoying it." - U.S. breaststroker Brendan Hansen. PHOTO BY FENG LI, GETTY IMAGES, TEXT BY MARK WHICKER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
ALEX KARRAS died on Oct. 10, at 77, from complications from diabetes. He was a wrecking ball of a defensive tackle for the Detroit Lions in the '60s, but became more famous as an actor. He was the star of the TV series "Webster" but will always live in our hearts as Mongo (pictured), the giant in "Blazing Saddles" who said, "Mongo only pawn in game of life." Karras also was the analyst on Monday Night Football, dubbing Otis Sistrunk as a graduate of "The University of Mars." PHOTO BY AP, TEXT BY MARK WHICKER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
EMANUEL STEWARD died on Oct. 25, at 68, of colon cancer. He trained champions Thomas Hearns and Lennox Lewis, and was in Wladimir Klitschko's corner in his final days. His heavyweights had a record of 34-2-1 when he trained them, and he worked with 41 champs all told. Steward also was the analyst on HBO Championship Boxing telecasts. "Nobody ever lost when they did what Emanuel Steward told them to do." -- Evander Holyfield. PHOTO BY JOHN GICHIGI/ALLSPORT, GETTY IMAGES, TEXT BY MARK WHICKER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
JEFF BLATNICK died on Oct. 24, at 57, after heart surgery. He became famous by winning an Olympic wrestling gold medal in 1984 after recovering from Hodgkins' disease. Later he was instrumental in the rise of Mixed Martial Arts, serving as a UFC commentator. He was given credit for codifying the sport and making sure that it overcame its savage reputation. "If I didn't have cancer nobody would know who I was. Wrestlers don't usually make the news." -- Jeff Blatnick PHOTO BY AP, TEXT BY MARK WHICKER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
CARMEN BASILIO died Nov. 7, at 85, The brawler from Canastota, N.Y., took the middleweight title from Ray Robinson in 1957, although he was only a welterweight at the time. He lost to Robinson the next year in a disputed decision. Basilio was 56-16-7 and held the title in two weight classes. Not bad for the son of an onion farmer with nine siblings. "You learn to fight when you have five older sisters." -- Carmen Basilio. PHOTO BY AP, TEXT BY MARK WHICKER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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